Finding Guides For Africa Travel

So, this is going to sound like a cop-out where we push you in the direction of the big tour companies and you are right that is exactly what we’re doing, not because we have any type of deal with any of them, but because we want you to be safe and enjoy yourselves. This is Africa, for the most part there is not much out there, roads are tough, flights complicated, getting around not so easy. The international companies have one thing that the local guides don’t necessarily have – access to get you out if something should go wrong. Mauled by a giraffe? You will be okay. For many of us who travel to get in deep with the local culture and therefore want to support the local economy, don’t worry, the big guys all use local company’s, the only difference is the back end support and logistics.

Needless to say, here’s our round up of the top three that we have used and that we highly recommend:

Abercrombie and Kent, yes they are going to be the most expensive, by far, but they are also the best. They have long relationships with the best hotels and camps, they have boots on the ground relationships with everyone in the tourism industry in Africa and have a great presence. Have something special you want done, no problem.A & K Website

Mt Travel Sobek – the next tier down, MT Sobek still gives you a great experience with amazing guides. A little more rough and tumble, in a good way, if you’re a younger slightly more adventurous type these guys are a better bet than A & K. In the pecking order they still rank very highly in getting you in to the right hotels and the right parks. They are going to cost less than A & K since you’re not paying for “The Name”.Mt Sobek Website

GeoEx – Not to be confused with National Geographic, GeoEx is very similar in style to Mt Sobek, again going being a bit more adventurous and rugged – the company really prides themselves on finding unique ways to add one on one personal experiences for each traveler and trip. Have a look through their website and you’ll see what we mean.GeoEx Website

There are of course other guides and other companies out there, but these are the ones that we can give a thumbs up to, and they also provide a great place to start comparing trips and itineraries.